Tuesday, November 20, 2012

I am using Tom Ford Narcissist blush and Enchanted eyeshadow palette, and I think it made for quite an appropriate title. I am sorry that I can't seem to take face pictures without giving a full view of my nostrils.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Next from the Tom Ford fall collection, I bring you the Enchanted quad.

Enchanted is composed of three lighter shimmery colors and one deep brown.

The actual quad is larger than I thought it would be, but it feels substantial in a good way.

From my (lame) pictures, the quad appears ordinary and pretty boring.

The colors come alive on the skin though.

The lightest color is a pale shimmery cream. The pink is actually slightly iridescent, almost like MAC Vanilla Pigment. It also has some larger pieces of silver shimmer. The purple taupe is slightly grey. The deep brown has a subtle reddish shimmer. This color felt terrible when I swatched it, but was perfectly pigmented on the eyes.

Here are some similar colors from recent releases:

Chanel Harmonie du Soir has a much more cranberry color. The taupe is deeper and greyer than Enchanted. The pink color in the Chanel palette is similar but less complex than Enchanted.

Burberry Rosewood is deeper and less shimmery than the taupe in Enchanted. Burberry Mulberry is more purple and also lighter than the deep brown in Enchanted.

The texture of Enchanted is soft and smooth. It is easy to blend and gives a subtle glow to the eyes. If you are looking for a classic neutral palette for your collection, Tom Ford Enchanted is a winner!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Shu Uemura looked to Karl Lagerfeld for their holiday collection inspiration, and he has given us Mon Shu Girl, Dora's younger and sluttier sister.

Mon Shu Girl is watching us, even when we apply our makeup. See the silhouette on the mirror?

Outer weirdness aside, these palettes are gorgeous on the inside.

Both are a combination of rich shimmers and complex glitter shadows. Each have a tiny blush pan as well.

Smoky Velvet is definitely the more glittery palette.

Starting on the left, the first pan is a black with bluish glitter. The middle pan on the left is a blingtastic white glitter with blue and green iridescence. The bottom left pan is a yellow gold glitter. The top right has my favorite shade in the palette, a rich olive green with golden shimmer. The middle right is an iridescent mint green. The bottom right is a pinkish berry meant to be used as blush.

The colors in Smoky Velvet are gorgeous and all were so smooth upon application- even the glitters! I think the massive glitter will keep it from being an everyday palette. I do wish the black was a matte. I can't wait to use the gorgeous greens on the right though.

When I swatched Prestigious Bordeaux, I could hear the angels singing. I have never touched such smooth and buttery pans of eyeshadow.

The top left pan is a rich warm purple with amazing shimmer. The middle left color is a pink tinged lilac shimmer. The pan on the bottom left is a light coppery gold. The top right is an amazingly bright copper shimmer. The middle pan is a soft satin beige. On the bottom right, there is a warm red matte blush pan.

I don't want to be unfair to Dora, but if I had a favorite child, her name rhymes with Brestigious Cordeaux. I hope Smoky Velvet doesn't kill me in my sleep now......

The complex shimmer and buttery textures in these Shu Uemura palettes makes it hard to go wrong with either one. For further beautiful swatches, please visit Drivel About Frivol. For a look showcasing Prestigious Bordeaux, visit Mira Sundari.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

This is my 6 year old Nathan with his favorite chicken, Katie. Katie was a bit more relaxed in the first few pictures, but little brother was trying to get in the picture and Katie wasn't too happy about that. Nathan is also holding a caterpillar in his other hand. He has a lot of bug friends, and he is the best at catching bugs and lizards according to his older brother Samuel.

I am sure I have swatched my Fyrinnae collection a long time ago, so I thought I should update with a more recent set of pictures. I wish I had gotten better pictures, but some of the complexities are hard to catch in a photo.

Dinosaur Plushie is a light silver that mainly consists of blue and purple iridescent glitter. This one is pure bling that works well as an accent. Moon Child is a light white gold color with a satin finish. This is an excellent inner corner brightener. Platinum in a golden pewter metallic shade. Damn Paladins is a light grey with blue shimmer. This is a very unique color, and it can be subtly patted on or built up for more impact. Envy Me is a brownish taupe with a soft greenish sheen that I failed to capture.

The Amo is a light grey with coppery pink shimmer. This color looks like a glowing sunset when patted on over Pixie Epoxy. Steampunk is a deep brown with silver and gold shimmer. Fire Opal is a deep brow n with intense bronze shimmer. This is an absolute favorite that I should probably use more often. Kung Pao is a softer brown with coppery shimmer. Conjuror is an Arcane Magic color which means that its has an intense color shift. It is a reddish color with a greenish blue shift. Sake & Sashimi is a shimmery copper bronze with blue sparkles.

Polar Bear is a light shimmery gold. Rapunzel Had Extensions is a light peach with golden shimmer. Pyromantic Erotica is an intense yellowed gold with an orange duo chrome effect. Red Panda is a shimmery red orange. Sugar Skulls is a warm pink with golden shimmer. Daemon's Tail is a dusky purple with copper shimmer. It is everything that MAC Trax wishes it could be. Dark Magik is an intense fuchsia tinged burgundy color with blue and lavender sparkles. This one is so intense.

Herbivore is bluish purple with aqua shimmer. Meerkat is a warmer purple with gold shimmer. Cupcake Sprinkles is an intense lavender with aqua shimmer. Leshii is muted greyish purple with very subtle shimmer. Sleepy Hollow is a deep turquoise with green shimmer. Dragon's Wing is a shimmery grass green. We're All Mad Here is a shimmery Chartreuse green. Lucky Charmed is an antique gold color with some green tones.

I will be posting some looks with my Fyrinnae in the next week. I love rediscovering old favorites!

Monday, November 5, 2012

I absolutely loved MAC's first release of Extra Dimension eyeshadows, and I wish I had picked up a few more colors before they were gone. Typical MAC Limited Edition nonsense.

I decided to try a few from the recent holiday release.

The formula is a powder and cream hybrid that imparts an intensely shimmery finish. The new size is less than exciting. They are about half the size, but the price remains the same. Lame.

Rich Core is a burgundy plum from the first release. Round Midnight is a deep plummy brown with a low level of shimmer. Stolen Moment is a purplish silvery taupe. Modern Pewter is a golden pewter color from the first release. Stylishly Merry is a bluish fuchsia. A Natural Flirt is a light golden peach.

All of these applied smoothly with minimal fallout. The finish is gorgeous and long lasting. If you can stand the size decrease and limited edition hype, these are worth tracking down.